Disclosed herein is a powered cultivating tool or the like which includes a prime mover disposed within a housing, an output shaft extending from said the housing having a pinion fixed thereto, said such pinion being placed in meshing engagement with a gear having a first roller thereon offset from the axis of rotation of the gear which engages a cam follower operatively connected to a cultivating implement such as a tine so that the implement displays an oscillatory pendulum-like motion about a vertical radial line extending from an axis rotation of the gear. It is contemplated that the gear has extending therefrom an axle whose opposed extremity from the gear is provided with a disc hub having a similar roller, cam follower and the like for accommodating either a terminal portion of the first cultivating implement, or a second cultivating implement so that the sychronization of the two cam followers can be beneficially altered as is required by gardening constraints and the like.
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1. A powered cultivating tool or the like comprising, in combination:
a housing having a top portion including a handle supported thereon, said housing defining an enclosure within a topmost portion of which a prime mover is disposed, ventilation means for said prime mover, an output shaft extending from said prime mover without said housing, a pinion fixed to said output shaft and an axle having opposite extremities with a gear carried on one of said extremities, said gear being adapted to mesh with said pinion, said axle supported on bearings within said housing and being vertically below and parallel to said prime mover's output shaft and having both said extremities extending without said housing, a roller on said gear, axially offset from said axle defining a first cam, a spindle means vertically below and parallel to said axle disposed in said housing supported on bearings and having terminal portions extending outwardly from said housing, a first cam follower fixed on said spindle means having an upwardly open u-shaped bifurcated portion straddling said roller, and a cultivating tine fixed to said cam follower and said spindle for pendulum like oscillation in response to movement of said roller through said prime mover.
8. A powered cultivating tool or the like comprising, in combination:
a casing having a ground end and an opposed end, said ground end being adapted to be the end nearer to the ground to be worked by the tool and said opposed end being adapted to be the end more distant from the ground to be worked by the tool, said casing defining an enclosure within which a prime mover is disposed, ventilation means for said prime mover, an output shaft extending from said prime mover without said casing, a pinion fixed to said output shaft and an axle having opposite extremities with a gear carried on one of said extremities, said gear being adapted to mesh with said pinion, said axle being supported on bearings within said casing, being parallel to said prime mover's output shaft, being disposed toward said ground end of said casing from said output shaft and having both said extremities extending without said casing, a roller on said gear, axially offset from said axle, defining a first cam, a spindle means supported within said casing, said spindle means being parallel to said axle, being disposed toward said ground end of said casing from said axle and having terminal portions extending without said casing, a cam follower on said spindle means having a bifurcated portion straddling said roller, and a cultivating tine fixed to said cam follower for pendulum like oscillation in response to movement of said roller through said prime mover.
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a casing having a ground end and an opposed end, said ground end being adapted to be the end nearer to the ground to be worked by the tool and said opposed end being adapted to be the end more distant from the ground to be worked by the tool, said casing defining an enclosure within which a prime mover is disposed, an output shaft extending from said prime mover, an axle with a gear carried on said axle operatively connected to said output shaft to rotate said axle, said axle being supported on bearings within said casing, being parallel to said prime mover's output shaft and being disposed toward said ground end of said casing from said output shaft, a roller mounted to move with said rotation of said axle, axially offset from said axle, defining a cam, a spindle means supported within said casing, said spindle means being parallel to said axle and being disposed toward said ground end of said casing from said axle, a cam follower on said spindle means having a bifurcated portion straddling said roller, said bifurcated portion having an elongated opening for said movement of said roller along said cam follower, and a cultivating tine fixed to said cam follower for pendulum like oscillation in response to said movement of said roller through said prime mover.
12. The device of claim 11 wherein said spindle means is mounted to be rotatable. 13. The device of claim 11 wherein said spindle means includes first and second spindle members. 14. A powered cultivating tool or the like, comprising in combination: a housing having a ground end and an opposed end, said ground end being adapted to be the end nearer to the ground to be worked by the tool and said opposed end being adapted to be the end more distant from the ground to be worked by the tool, a prime mover having an output shaft, an axle, a gear carried on said axle operatively connected to said output shaft to rotate said axle, a pin member mounted to move with said rotation of said axle, axially offset from said axle, defining a cam, a spindle means parallel to said axle and disposed toward said ground end of said housing from said axle, a cam follower having a bifurcated portion straddling said pin member and being mounted to swing from said spindle means with said movement of said pin member, and a cultivating tine for fixing to said cam follower to swing from said spindle means in a pendulum like oscillation with said movement of said pin member, said tine comprising a first elongated portion to extend from the vicinity of said ground end of said housing toward the ground, a second elongated portion angularly disposed with respect to said first portion to extend inwardly and toward the ground to be worked by the tool, and a third elongated portion angularly disposed with respect to said second portion to extend inwardly and toward said ground end of said housing. 15. The device of claim 14 wherein said spindle means is mounted to be rotatable. 16. The device of claim 14 further comprising: a second pin member mounted to move with said rotation of said axle, axially offset from said axle 180° out of phase with said first pin member, defining a second cam, a second cam follower having a bifurcated portion straddling said second pin member and being mounted to swing from said spindle means with said movement of said second pin member, and a second cultivating tine for fixing to said second cam follower to swing from said spindle means in a pendulum like oscillation with said movement of said second pin member 180° out of phase with said first tine. 17. The device of claim 16 wherein said spindle means includes first and second spindle members, said first cam follower and said first tine to swing from said first spindle member and said second cam follower and said second tine to swing from said second spindle member. 18. The device of claim 14 wherein: said housing defines an enclosure within which said prime mover is disposed, said axle is supported within said housing, parallel to said prime mover's output shaft, and disposed toward said ground end of said housing from said output shaft, and said spindle means is supported within said housing. 19. A powered cultivating tool or the like, comprising in combination: a housing having a ground end and an opposed end, said ground end being adapted to be the end nearer to the ground to be worked by the tool and said opposed end being adapted to be the end more distant from the ground to be worked by the tool, a prime mover having an output shaft, an axle, a gear carried on said axle operatively connected to said output shaft to rotate said axle, a pin member mounted to move with said rotation of said axle, axially offset from said axle, defining a cam, a spindle means parallel to said axle and disposed toward said ground end of said housing from said axle, a cam follower having a bifurcated portion straddling said pin member and being mounted to swing from said spindle means with said movement of said pin member, said bifurcated portion having an elongated opening for said movement of said pin member along said cam follower, and a cultivating tine for fixing to said cam follower to swing from said spindle means in a pendulum like oscillation with said movement of said pin member. 20. The device of claim 19 further comprising: a second pin member mounted to move with said rotation of said axle, axially offset from said axle substantially out of phase with said first pin member, defining a second cam, a second cam follower having a bifurcated portion straddling said second pin member and being mounted to swing from said spindle means with said movement of said second pin member, said bifurcated portion having an elongated opening for said movement of said second pin member along said second cam follower, and a second cultivating tine for fixing to said second cam follower to swing from said spindle means in a pendulum like oscillation with said movement of said second pin member substantially out of phase with said first tine. 21. The device of claim 19 further comprising: a second pin member mounted to move with said rotation of said axle, axially offset from said axle 180° out of phase with said first pin member, defining a second cam, a second cam follower having a bifurcated portion straddling said second pin member and being mounted to swing from said spindle means with said movement of said second pin member, said bifurcated portion having an elongated opening for said movement of said second pin member along said second cam follower, and a second cultivating tine for fixing to said second cam follower to swing from said spindle means in a pendulum like oscillation with said movement of said second pin member 180° out of phase with said first tine. 22. The device of claim 19 wherein said tine comprises a first elongated portion to extend from the vicinity of said ground end of said housing toward the ground and a second elongated portion angularly disposed with respect to said first portion to extend inwardly and toward the ground to be worked by the tool. 23. The device of claim 22 further comprising: a second pin member mounted to move with said rotation of said axle, axially offset from said axle substantially out of phase with said first pin member, defining a second cam, a second cam follower having a bifurcated portion straddling said second pin member and being mounted to swing from said spindle means with said movement of said second pin member, said bifurcated portion having an elongated opening for said movement of said second pin member along said second cam follower, and a second cultivating tine for fixing to said second cam follower to swing from said spindle means in a pendulum like oscillation with said movement of said second pin member substantially out of phase with said first tine, said second tine comprising a first elongated portion to extend from the vicinity of said ground end of said housing toward the ground and a second elongated portion angularly disposed with respect to said first portion to extend inwardly and toward the ground to be worked by the tool. 24. The device of claim 22 further comprising: a second pin member mounted to move with said rotation of said axle, axially offset from said axle 180° out of phase with said first pin member, defining a second cam, a second cam follower having a bifurcated portion straddling said second pin member and being mounted to swing from said spindle means with said movement of said second pin member, said bifurcated portion defining an elongated opening for said movement of said second pin member along said second cam follower, and a second cultivating tine for fixing to said second cam follower to swing from said spindle means in a pendulum like oscillation with said movement of said second pin member 180° out of phase with said first tine, said second tine comprising a first elongated portion to extend from the vicinity of said ground end of said housing toward the ground and a second elongated portion angularly disposed with respect to said first portion to extend inwardly and toward the ground to be worked by the tool. 25. The device of claim 19 wherein: said housing defines an enclosure within which said prime mover is disposed, said axle is supported within said housing, parallel to said prime mover's output shaft, and disposed toward said ground end of said housing from said output shaft, and said spindle means is supported within said housing. 26. A powered cultivating tool or the like, comprising in combination: a housing having a ground end and an opposed end, said ground end being adapted to be the end nearer to the ground to be worked by the tool and said opposed end being adapted to be the end more distant from the ground to be worked by the tool, a prime mover having an output shaft, an axle, a gear carried on said axle operatively connected to said output shaft to rotate said axle, a pin member mounted to move with said rotation of said axle, axially offset from said axle, defining a cam, a spindle means parallel to said axle and disposed toward said ground end of said housing from said axle, a cam follower having a bifurcated portion straddling said pin member and being mounted to swing from said spindle means with said movement of said pin member, said bifurcated portion having an elongated opening for said movement of said pin member along said cam follower, and a cultivating tine for fixing to said cam follower to swing from said spindle means in a pendulum like oscillation with said movement of said pin member, said tine being shaped to extend, during said swinging, under said housing. 27. The device of claim 26 wherein the tine comprises a first elongated portion to extend from the vicinity of said ground end of said housing toward the ground and a second elongated portion angularly disposed with respect to said first portion to extend inwardly toward the ground to be worked by the tool, and to extend, during said swinging under said housing. 28. The device of claim 27 further comprising: a second pin member mounted to move with said rotation of said axle, axially offset from said axle substantially out of phase with said first pin member, defining a second cam, a second cam follower having a bifurcated portion straddling said second pin member and being mounted to swing from said spindle means with said movement of said second pin member, and a second cultivating tine for fixing to said second cam follower to swing from said spindle means in a pendulum like oscillation with said movement of said second pin member substantially out of phase with said first tine, said second tine being shaped to extend, during said swinging, under said housing, said second tine comprising a first elongated portion to extend from the vicinity of said ground end of said housing toward the ground and a second elongated portion angularly disposed with respect to said first portion to extend inwardly toward the ground to be worked by the tool, and to extend, during said swinging, under said housing. 29. The device of claim 27 further comprising: a second pin member mounted to move with said rotation of said axle, axially offset from said axle 180° out of phase with said first pin member, defining a second cam, a second cam follower having a bifurcated portion straddling said second pin member and being mounted to swing from said spindle means with said movement of said second pin member, and a second cultivating tine for fixing to said second cam follower to swing from said spindle means in a pendulum like oscillation with said movement of said second pin member 180° out of phase with said first tine, said second tine being shaped to extend, during said swinging, under said housing, said second tine comprising a first elongated portion to extend from the vicinity of said ground end of said housing toward the ground and a second elongated portion angularly disposed with respect to said first portion to extend inwardly toward the ground to be worked by the tool, and to extend, during said swinging, under said housing. 30. The device of claim 26 wherein: said housing defines an enclosure within which said primer mover is disposed, said axle is supported within said housing, parallel to said prime mover's output shaft, and disposed toward said ground end of said housing from said output shaft, and said spindle means is supported within said housing. |
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15 is substantially frictionless supported by means of the bushings 22 and 21.
Affixed to the lower portion of the cam follower 17 is a first tine 18 which curves inwardly as at 41 and then upwardly as shown upwardly by reference numeral 40, FIG. 1.
In view of the foregoing, it should be apparent that when the motor is energized, the implement 18 will display an oscillatory pendulum-like motion about a vertical radial line extending from an axis of rotation of the gear 16.
The axle 23 has an extremity remote from the gear 16 which has affixed thereto a hubbed disc 24 similarly affixed to the axle by means of pins 29 and supported by bushings bearings 30. The hubbed disc 24 is further affixed to the axle 23 by means of screw 31, and a peripheral portion of the disc 24 has a second roller 25 offset from the axis similar to the first roller 15, and this roller similarly drives a cam follower having a bifurcated upper portion 26 which straddles the second roller, and a lower portion 27 supported on a spindle 19 as through bearings 22.
As shown in FIG. 1, two spindles 19 are provided each of which share a common bushing block 21, and the spindles are retarded from axial translation by means of locks 20 constrained within the grooves on the spindles proximate to their common bushing so that the danger of tine becoming dislodged is effectively prohibited not only by the construction of the spindle but also an outer bulbous portion of the rollers 15 and 25 as shown in the drawings. In one form of the invention the first and second rollers 15 and 25 are adapted to work 180° out of phase so that the motion of one of the tines 28 opposes the motion of the other tine 18 and a balanced opposing working force is provided contrary to the prior art. Such an arrangement would have obvious utility in working rather hard soil which has not been cultivated recently. In a second form of the invention a single tine 18' has two upper portions and is substantially in the form of a U, wherein each of the upper portions affixes to its respective cam follower, and the cam followers connection to the first and second rollers is such that they are not 180° out of phase but they travel together so that the motion of the followers is not opposed but in unison. This type of arrangement would perhaps be best suited for working in soils that are already light and aeriated and in which a gentle scrubbing of the topmost soil is desired. A single spindle 19 is required, roller 25 is optional, and therfore cam follower upper portion 26 is superfluous.
FIG. 3 shows an end view of the apparatus according to the present invention in which it is clear that the spindle 19, axle 23, and output shaft 11 are all symmetrically disposed and vertically aligned so that the machine is not only self-balanced but the majority of the weight associated with the machine is directed as a vertical component absorbed by its reaction to the soil, and does not have to be borne by the person operating the implement, as has frequently occurred in the prior art.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the housing includes and supports a handle 1 of any suitable configuration, a top plate 3 which conceals the motor M and is affixed to the housing through bolts that extend into elemental area 4 of the housing, and the motor M is bolted within the housing as through 5. In this particular instance, a cooling fan 12 is provided for the electrical motor.
A lower portion of the housing has spaced walls 6 and 7 interconnected by means of a threaded bolt 8 which is placed just above the spindle(s) as shown in the drawings and the spindle 19 has protection from the environment by means of a bottom shroud 9.
Having thus described the invention therefore, it should be apparent that numerous structural modifications are contemplated as being a part of this invention as described hereinabove and as defined hereinbelow by the claims.
Siegler, Frederick, Moulton, Lee A.
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| Executed on | Assignor | Assignee | Conveyance | Frame | Reel | Doc |
| Apr 03 1987 | Hawaiian Motor Co. | (assignment on the face of the patent) | / | |||
| Sep 24 1992 | MARK MACHINE, INC | CIT GROUP CREDIT FINANCE, INC , THE | SECURITY INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 006889 | /0163 | |
| Mar 08 1993 | CIT GROUP CREDIT FINANCE, INC , THE | MARK MACHINE, INC | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST | 006494 | /0204 | |
| Mar 08 1993 | CIT GROUP CREDIT FINANCE, INC , THE | MARK MACHINE, INC | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 006608 | /0036 | |
| Mar 11 1993 | MICHAEL A GRASSMUECK, INC , TRUSTEE IN BANKRUPTCY OF HAWAIIAN MOTOR COMPANY | MARK MACHINE, INC | QUITCLAIM ASSIGNMENT | 006478 | /0946 | |
| May 15 1995 | MARK MACHINE, INC | HOMELITE, INC | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 007505 | /0336 | |
| May 05 1997 | HOMELITE, INC | JOHN DEERE CONSUMER PRODUCTS, INC | CHANGE OF NAME SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 009052 | /0370 |
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